Some parts of the Keta Township in the Volta Region have been submerged in floodwaters following hours of heavy rainfall that displaced residents, destroyed property, and disrupted livelihoods.
The situation, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, May 6, was described as one of the worst to hit the area in recent times, with floodwaters and runoff overwhelming drainage systems and inundating homes, shops, and major roads.
The Keta Municipal Deputy Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Philip Abotsi, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that residents, including the elderly, women, and children, were forced to abandon their belongings and seek safety on higher ground as waters rapidly rose in residential and commercial areas.
“Some affected households reported that items such as furniture, foodstuffs, electronics, clothing, and other valuables were submerged in the floodwaters,” he said.
He explained that the floods also damaged community roads and pathways, making access to some of the worst-hit communities difficult and hampering emergency and relief efforts.
He said the Keta Municipal Assembly and NADMO were assessing the damage and would provide the necessary information and support to affected individuals and institutions as soon as possible.
Areas such as Dzelukope, Nukpesekope, Tetekope, and Vui, among others, were affected by the flooding, which residents say requires urgent attention to restore normal daily activities.
A resident of Dzelukope, Mr Richard Aba, blamed the situation on years of neglect of drainage infrastructure, choked gutters, and poor town-planning mechanisms, and appealed to the government and the Keta Municipal Assembly to act decisively.
“Every year it is the same story. Our homes get flooded, we lose valuables, and after a few days, everyone forgets about us. We need a proper drainage system to at least mitigate the situation,” he said.
The GNA gathered that offices of several institutions, including the Ambulance Service, Fire Service, Environmental Health Service, Legal Aid, Zoomlion, the Agric Directorate, the Narcotics Control Commission, the National Identification Authority, the National Commission for Civic Education, and NADMO, were also submerged after the rains.
Mr Emmanuel Tordzro of the Keta Ambulance Service said Keta’s vulnerability to both sea erosion and inland flooding required urgent investment in infrastructure, coastal defence systems, and land-use planning.
He urged NADMO and other relevant authorities to provide immediate relief and accelerate long-term flood mitigation measures to end the cycle of annual flooding in the municipality.
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